Russell Ready for Orange Bowl Challenge

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, December 24, 2002

Running back Fred Russell is enjoying Iowa's long break before the Orange Bowl.

He needed it.

Russell came out of Iowa's season finale at Minnesota on Nov. 16 with an aching left shoulder. He carried 17 times for 194 yards in that game, but if the Hawkeyes had to play the following week, Russell wouldn't have been able to go. Or in the three weeks that followed.

"It's been a good layoff for me," Russell said. "The timing of it was real good."

In his first season of extensive action in college, the 5-foot-8, 185-pound junior took a beating. He missed games against Utah State and Wisconsin with an assortment of shoulder, hip and ankle injuries and sat out most of the second half against Iowa State after bruising his shoulder for the first time.

Still, Russell leads Iowa in rushing with 1,219 yards _ the fourth highest in school history _ and is averaging 5.8 yards a carry. He returned to practice for the first time last week, when he began his preparations for Iowa's Jan. 2 game with Southern California.

"My shoulder feels real good right now," Russell said. "I've been able to get back out and do the things that I expect to do."

His bruised shoulder required time to heal. A running back who can't lower his shoulder isn't much good.

"It's not separated or anything like that," Russell said. "It's just a bruise. When you play running back in the Big Ten, you're going to get knocked around. That's the way it works. I expect that and I deal with it. I feel fine now, though. I'll be ready to go in Florida."

Russell's value was illustrated in the Iowa State game, Iowa's only loss. He had run 17 times for 151 yards when he left the game after his first carry in the second half. Iowa's offense bogged down after that and Iowa State rallied to win 36-31.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz needs Russell against Southern Cal. He said his star runner had to have time off.

"He wouldn't have been available right after the Minnesota game and probably wouldn't have played the last four or five weeks," Ferentz said. "But he's getting back at it now. I'm confident he'll be back at full speed in Florida."

Russell said he was happy to be practicing again.

"It's been awhile, but it was a break I needed to get healthy again and be able to do what I need to do to help the team," Russell said.

Russell said he's ready for the challenge that Southern Cal will bring in the first Orange Bowl appearance by either team.

"Being out, I've had a lot of time to watch film and what I've seen is good team speed, a good defensive line and a lot of athleticism," Russell said. "They've got speed that we haven't seen yet and it will be a real test for us. We're going to have to play well and I think we will."